thomas



(No Model.)

J. THOMAS.

HAT. No. 327,354. Patented Sept. 29, 1885.

N. PETERS. Phoivuihugnpher. Wash'mgmn. 0.6.

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THOMAS, OF BRISTOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LEWIS FAIRBURN MARSH, OF SAME PLACE.

HAT.

@PECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,354, Slated September 29, 1885.

Application filed February 3, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN THOMAS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and he land, and a resident of Bristol, England, have invented an Improved Hat, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a hat to the brim of which the binding has been secured by sewing after said brim has been curled.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved hat; Fig.

2, a sectional view of part of the hat through i the front or rear portion of the brim; Fig. 3, a section of part of the hat through the curled or side portion of the brim, and Figs. 4. and 5 views showing hats bound by the methods now in use.

The plan now generally adopted in secur ing the binding upon the brim of a hat is, first, to curl the brim, and then apply the binding thereto and stitch it on by hand. The binding is usually of such a width that it will cover the top of the curl and slightly overlap the inner and outer edges of the same, there being an even overlap of the binding at the front and rear edges of the brim. No attempts have been made to sew such a binding with closeconnected stitches, the opposite edges of the binding being simply tacked or basted down by short stitches formed first on one edge, and then on the opposite edge, as shown in Fig. 4..

In some hats the binding overlaps more on the top of the brim than on the bottom, at the front and back of the hat, and in this case two rows of stitches are required, one for each edge; but in this case, also, the stitches are merely tacking or basting stitches and made by hand.

Another plan which has been adopted is to apply the binding to the edge of the brim be fore the latter is curled, the line of stitches passing directly through the brim and through the opposite edges of the binding, as shown in Fig. 5 5 but this plan is objectionable because it necessitates the use of very wide binding, and because the appearance of this binding is materially impaired by the subsequent operations incident to the curling and setting of the brim of the hat.

I discard both of these plans, and sew the binding to the brim either before or after it has received its side roll and front and back set, but after the same has been curled, the sewing being by connected stitches instead of by the ordinary tacking or basting. I prefer to use for this purpose a machine for which I have filed application for Letters Patent bearing even date herewith; but as this machine forms no part of my present applica tion no description of it here will be necessary, and I will simply set forth the characteristics of the hat as an article of manufacture, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and as distinguished from hats bound in the manner shown in Figs. l and 5.

The brim of the hat has the usual set or depression, a, at front and rear, and on each side a roll or turned-up portion, Z), terminating in an inwardly-bent edge or curl, d,- and extend ing around the edge of the brim is the bind ing f.

The binding is applied to the edge of the brim as usual, and is secured by stitches,which pass directly through the brim and through the upper and lower overlapping edges of the binding at the front and rear of the hat, as shown in Fig. 2; but on approaching the curl the stitches gradually change their length and direction, so that on the curled portions of the brim they pass transversely across from edge to edge of the binding, beneath the curl, and through the upper portion of the roll, as shown in Fig. 3.

The stitches are connectedthat is to say, the thread passes from stitch to stitch on the face of the binding-and in this respect my improved hat is readily distinguishable from one having the binding simply tacked or basted on, as usual, while the hat is distinguishable from one to which the binding has been applied before curlingthe brim not only on account of the finer appearance of the binding, but also because of the much narrower binding which I am enabled to use.

I have shown in the drawings a doublethread lock-stitch, and although such is preferable, yet the binding may be secured by a single-thread chain-stitch, if desired.

I claim as my invention A hot having a curled brim with bindingbraid secured thereon by stitches passing directly through the brim and edges of the braid at front and rear of the hat, but gradually changing in length and direction at each side of the hat, so as to pass transversely from edge to edge of the braid, beneath the curl, and through the upper portion of the roll of the brim, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set JOHN THOMAS. 

